Cleaner for burners of carbid-lamps and the like



1. w. JAcQgspNHAND 1'. E. TumAgf CLEANER Foa Bumsns oF CARBITDTLAMP'S'AND THEuKE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 3.1920.

UNITED sTAlEs,

nar-Euretrice.

JACOB W. J' ACOBSON .AND TOEN EMIL TURJ'A, OF HANCOCK, MICHIGAN'.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 15, 1921.

Application filed September 3, 1920. Serial No. 407,953.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, JACOB W. JAooBsoN and JOHN EMIL TURJA, citizens of the United States, residing at Hancock, inK the county of Houghton and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cleaners for Burners of Carbid-Lamps and the like, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to carbid lamps and the like and especially to a means for cleaning the lamps without having to extinguish the light.

Our invention relates particularly to means `for cleaning burners of carbid lamps without having to extinguish the light or remove the lamp from its position on the wearers person. The invention is of such nature that dirt may be discharged from the chamber outwardly and not forced inwardly into the gas conduit.

An-object of our invention is to provide means for keeping burners of carbid lamps clean.

Another object of our invention is to provide means for freeing burners from any substance which may enter from either end thereof. i

A further object is to provide means for cleaning burners of carbid lamps without having to extinguish the light and without having to remove the lamp from the person of the wearer or change its position in any respect.

A still further object is to provide means for cleaning burners of carbid lamps which means are operated from outside the lamp.

A yet further object is to provide cleaning means for burners of the class described with means for guiding the cleaning element in its cleaning movement.

A still further object is to provide cleaners for carbid lamps which may be readily replaced when worn.

A still further object is to provide cleaning means for .burners of carbid lamps for successful, commercial use.

Generally speaking, we carry out our invention by providing a tube, one end of which terminates near the burner opening, and the other end of which communicates with the exterior of the lamp. Within the tube a wire is so positioned as to be moved longitudinally or rotatively. A suitable butt?? 0? ,like member is Carried .in the outer end of the tube for imparting movement to the wire, so that al slight pressure on the button will project the other end ofthe wire into the burner opening dislodging any foreign matter therein.

ur invention will be described in the following specification and drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

Reference is made to the wherein;

Figure l is a side elevational View with parts broken away of a miners carbid lamp embodying the preferred form of our invention and Fig. 2 is an enlarged view similar to Fig. l and showing details of construction of the cleaner and its associated parts.

In the ydrawings we have endeavored to illustrate the invention as applied to a miners lamp such as may be readily carried on the head-piece of the wearer, or in any other position on his person as mining conditions demand. The lamp includes the usual lower portion 5 for the reception of carbid with the upper portion 6 for water. A reflector 7 is provided, at the focus of which the burner 8 is supported. The burner 8 is inserted in the outer end of a gas conduit 9 which communicates by means of an opening l0 with the carbid chamber 5 of the lamp. The burner which we prefer to use is drawings lsimilar to that shown in the drawings so as to be readily inserted or removed from the conduit as the occasion demands. The outer surface of the burner is curved to prevent the lodgment ci' foreign matter thereon.

' The present method of cleaning burners of carbid lamps, especially of miners carbid lamps, is for the wearer to carry a cleaning wire which he inserts through the burner opening from the outside, pushing the foreign matter in the opening into the gas conduit. This method of cleaning demands that the light be extinguished. To perform the .cleaning operation underground, it is `necessary that the miner provide other means of light while cleaning his lamp.. In many instances miners use the aus the miner is in darkness and is .sst- 1.

jected to hazard unless he has provided other means oi illumination.

Our invention overcomes all oit' the above objections and makes the cleaning of the burners of carbid lamps a momentary one which may be accomplished by pressing a button on the outside ot the lamp and withcut having to remove the lamp from its position or extinguish the light. @ur cleaner operates in such manner as to discharge dirt from the inside ci the burner to the outside thereof, thereby eliminating any possible clogoing in the gas conduit.

Ie employ the tube 11 having an en larged upper end 12, the outer end of the tube 1,1 being positioned to terminate within the rear end of the burner 8 and short of a burner opening 8a therethrough. The cleaning member or wire 13 is carried within the tube 11 and is of suiiicient length to be pro- 'jected outwardly of the outer end of the tube and into the burner openinga. For reciprocating the cleaning member 13, a push button lei is provided which is reciprocally mounted in the enlarged end 12 of the tube 11. The button has a shoulder 15 adapted to engage the under side of a cap 16, which is in screw threaded engagement with the upper end of the enlargement 12, and which cap 16 serves as a closure for said enlargement. Connecting the tube 11 and the walls of theenlargement 12 is an inclined portion 17. -Within the member 12 and against the shoulder 17 is a suitable packing material 18 and overlying the packing is a washer 19, which washer guides the wire or cleaning member 13 into the tube 11. A spring 2O is interposed between the Washer 19 and the shoulder 15 of the button to maintain the button and its connected cleaning member 131m inoperative or withdrawn position which is the normal position of the parts. The button has a shank 21, to which the upper end of the cleaning wire or member 13 is attached. The shank serves also to retain the spring 2() in position against the button 14. The diameter of the cleaning wire or member isslightly less than thev diameter of the burner opening 8a, Vso that when the wire is projected into the opening, the light will not be extinguished.

It is believed that the operation of our invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art.

It will be observed that the cleaning member 13 may be projected into the burner opening 8a at any time by pushing the button 11i, so that the burner may be cleaned as many times as necessary without extinguishing the light and without having to remove the lamp from the person of the wearer. In view of the 'fact that the dirt is pushed out of the burner tube 8 and not back into the gas conduit, all liability of clogging is removed, the cleaning operation being effected in a portion of a second. If the burneris clogged, so as to not be thoroughly cleaned by a push of the button, the button may be turned to rotate the wire to clean out the obstruction in the burner open- Y ing.

Our invention is applicable to lamps of various sorts, where there is a tendency to clog the burner opening, but has been found very useful in connection with miners carbid lamps, as the light is never extinguished and the miner is not prevented from doing his full share of his days work, by frequently having to stop to clean his lamp.

Whenever it is desirable toA replace a cleaner 13, the cap 16 is unscrewed permit ting withdrawal of the button, spring, and cleaner, and the insertion of a new cleaner, button, and spring if the latter are needed.

While we have described more or less precisely the details of construction of our invention, we do not wish to be understood as limiting ourselves thereto, as we contemplate changes in form and the proportion of parts and substitution of equivalents as circumstances may suggest or render eXpedient, without departing from the spirit of our invention.

We claim:

1. In combination with a carbid'lamp or the like having a pierced burner, a tube having anend adjacent and' alined with said pierced opening and its opposite, end eX- tending through the lamp shell and being shouldered adjacent said shell, a wire in said tube, a button attached to said Wire and extending out of said tube beyond the shell, and a spring in said shouldered portion of the tube and engaging said button to urge said button outwardly, pressure on said button serving to compress the spring and cause the wire to enter the burner.

2. In combination with a carbid lamp or the like having a pierced burner, a tube having one end adjacent and alined with said pierced opening and its opposite end extending through the lamp shell and being shouldered adjacent said Shel1,a wire in said tube, packing surrounding the wire and fit,- ti'ng in said shouldered portion of the tube, a button attached to said wire and extending out of said tube beyond the shell, and a spring in said shouldered portion of the tube bearing on said packing and engaging said button to urge said button outwardly, pressure on said button serving to compress the spring and cause the wire to enter the burner.

3. In combination with a carbid lamp or the like having a pierced burner, a tube having one end adjacent and alined with said pierced opening and its oppositel end extending through the lamp shell and being shouldered adjacent said Shell, e wir@ in said tube,. a button attached tol said,I wire roo` and extending out of said tube beyond the shell, a cap detachably attached to saidtube and limiting outward movement of the button, and a spring in said shouldered portion of the tube and engaging said button to urge said button outwardly, pressure on said button serving to compress the spring and cause the wire to enter the burner.

t. In combination with a carbid lamp or the like having a pierced burner, a tube having one end adjacent and alined with said pierced opening and its opposite end extending through the lamp shell and being shouldered adjacent said shell, a wire in said tube, a button attached to said wire and extending out of said tube beyond the shell, a cap detachably attached to said tube and limiting outward movement of the button, and a spring in said shouldered portion of the tube engaging said button to urge said button outwardly, pressure on said button serving to compress the spring and cause the wire to enter the burner, said sleeve being detachable to permit removal of the button, Wire and spring while the lamp is lighted.

5. ln combination with a carbid lamp or the like having a pierced burner, a tube having an end edjacent and alined with said pierced opening and its opposite end extending through the lamp shell and being shouldered adjacent said shell, a wire in said tube, packing in said shouldered portion around the wire, a guide washer on said packing, a button on said wire extending out of said tube beyond the shell, and a spring surrounding the wire between the button and guide washer and adapted to urge the button outwardly, pressure on said button serving to compress the spring and cause the wire to enter the burner.

Signed at Houghton, Michigan, this 23rd day of August, 1920.

JACOB W. JACOBSON. Signed at Hancock, Michigan, this 28th day of August, 1920.

JOHN EMIL TURJA. 

